Corona-crisis throws new light on the gender roles

The Coronavirus pandemic and the measures to control infections with the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 affect all people, but men and women often in very different degrees. In many cases a relapse into old gender roles, and while the man in the home office works, a woman needs to take the side of it, a majority of the childcare and the household single-handedly overcome. On the other hand, the Corona-crisis but also opportunities for equality, the key message in a recent contribution to the journal “BMJ”.

For women, the Corona is connected to the crisis, often with high loads and there is a relapse threatens in old gender roles, which could persist for a long time. However, the men – and, in particular, male supervisors will be conducted in the Wake of the crisis, vividly, how hard it is to get a professional, childcare, and household under a hat. This could make for a much better understanding of the challenges that many women also saw the crisis, as it confronted, reports Clare Wenham of the London School of Economics, Julia Smith of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia (Canada) and Rosemary Morgan from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore (USA) in a post in the “BMJ”.

Gender-specific impact of COVID-19

The researchers examined the gender-specific impact of COVID-19, and show why women are particularly affected. For example, a large proportion of the health workforce worldwide is female, and the health care workers are subject to a significantly increased risk of infection, reports the researchers. Add to that the mental stress in this career field.

Women are disproportionately burdened as a

In addition to the stress due to the care of the Infected loads according to the Experts, but also the restrictions of everyday life (closure of schools, Changes in the rhythm of work) have a disproportionate effect on women. Add to this that since the introduction of the measures for the contact restriction is also a significant increase in calls to Hotlines for domestic violence, it is noted, report the researchers. For many women, the Corona-crisis is also an extreme personal crisis situation, the additional support urgently would be necessary.

Insights into the reality of life

“However, we see a glimmer of hope: the recognition, especially by the employers of the informal care load, which arises in the domestic sphere and which is disproportionately, though not exclusively, on women,” write Wenham, Smith and Morgan. By working in the home office, the home Routine will also for the boss to be visible. “Whether it is the rumpled sheets in the Background, the dirty cups on the dresser, or a child who breaks the call – the reality of human life was disclosed,” stress the researchers.

Better opportunities for flexible Working

So children were small in the Background of a meeting is quite normal and you can even loosen up the atmosphere a little, but at the same time, the Stress will significantly, the attempt to bring work and family under a hat. “The bosses are able to be in the double the human life to look into, we hope that as a result, the opportunities for flexible Working to improve,” said the Experts.

Furthermore, the researchers hope inside “to a greater recognition of the importance of a safe child care – a sector that is occupied almost exclusively by women and often undervalued – both for the families and for our economy.”

Balancing act between paid and unpaid work

The recognition of the difficult balancing act between paid and unpaid work, and paying tribute to those serving in the household of the principal tasks that would be a first step but should be followed by action. That women will take this burden disproportionately on themselves, it must be recognised, for example, in the economies formally, emphasize the scientists.

Shared parental and domestic duties

In addition, not more time, in accordance with, the assumption that women take responsibility for men’s domestic responsibilities, but shared parental and domestic duties will be the model of the future. This must also be worn with more flexible work models. In practice, are currently being paved, first way, for example by the various concurrent tasks – paid and unpaid – will have to be. This also included lower expectations of the work and flexible working hours, report the researchers.

Crises can also bring new opportunities

There is no reason that these measures according to the Corona-need crisis and a crisis can also be seen as an opportunity for change, the scientists more. For example, the First world war was a turning point for the emancipation of women, since many of the new working set forces and women’s institutions were founded, which led to women’s right to vote. “We hope that COVID-19 may be another such opportunity for gender equality in the workplace,” say Clare Wenham, Julia Smith, and Rosemary Morgan. (fp)